


love is weird

by slowmo_waitwot



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bad Parenting, F/M, M/M, Sad with a Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2015-12-22
Packaged: 2018-05-08 08:52:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5491190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slowmo_waitwot/pseuds/slowmo_waitwot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ray doesn't think he'll love anyone, not if he can't say the word without cringing. But, then Michael comes into life. Will he learn to love or do without?</p>
            </blockquote>





	love is weird

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this for my secret Santa! Thought I'd post it here!

Love was a strong word. It ranged from platonic love to sorta love to romantic love. It was quite the word, and when Ray was growing up, he had the beauty of the word destroyed. 

He grew up in a unstable household, his parents fought more than small children. It was all right at first, but soon it got increasingly more violent. Punches thrown, threats slurred, objects forcefully broke. It was absolute chaos.

They shamed the word when they said it, because you could tell they didn't mean it. It became an empty word that was said just to fill the silence. 

During high school, on the weeknights that Ray would stay up late staring at the blank ceiling, he realized something. He realized he hated the word "love". Hated what it stood for, the concept of perfection it was thought to have, and the very use of the word. 

It was stupid, he knew, to hate it when it was a thing people said to express their feelings. Still, he did. He assumed he was destined to be alone for the rest of his life. No one could be with someone who wouldn't say he loves them, or any of the other cliche things couples said. 

So when someone asked him out, you can imagine his reaction. A mixture of disgust and sadness was clearly visible on his face, he didn't even try to hide it. He had ran away to an empty room, and cried every confused emotion out. 

That's when he met Michael Jones. More so that he re-met him, seeing as the guy's been in his classes for awhile. Ray just never actually interacted with him before.

Anyway, Michael saw Ray crying, and knocked on the door. Ray was horrified that someone saw him cry like a little bitch. Though, the obvious concern on the Michael's face made him feel more at ease. 

"What's wrong?"

That was the million dollar question, wasn't it? What was the issue? He should be happy, he shouldn't be so confused. But, that was how it was, how he was. He said the only thing he could think of.

"Love."

He saw confusion cross the other's face. Sighing, he knew he should explain better.

"I got asked out. I panicked because I don't wanna date someone. Can't date someone when you don't wanna love someone."

"That's bullshit and you know it."

Ray rose his eyebrow, a little taken back by his statement. He didn't know Ray, so how could he say something like that?

"People love, that's life. Even if you don't wanna, you fucking do, because people change you as much as you don't want them to."

Looking away from Michael, he shook his head. He was not gonna change, it wasn't happening.

He heard an audible sigh, before Michael turned to leave. 

"Don't be so goddamn stubborn. See you later."

"Yeah, whatever."

~~~

The next day, Ray walked slowly to school, dreading the fact that everyone probably knew he cried after being asked out. 

Entering the school, he sighed, head already looking down. He heard snickers and laughter, and all he could think was that it was all aimed towards him.

He was the laughing stock, the ridiculous teen that couldn't dating someone. How stupid.

First period was probably the worst hour of his life. He could see that his teacher knew by the looks he kept giving Ray. News did travel fast at his school, unfortunately.

Second period was the class he had with Michael, and god, Ray wanted to skip it. He wasn't exactly a fan of being constantly reminded of past occurrences.

Sitting down in his desk, head faced to the board with a blank expression. That was until a piece of paper landed on his desk.

Opening it, he scanned it fast. It wrote;  
Will you go out with me? :)  
[ ] yes [ ] no [ ] I can't because I'll cry like a bitch.

The laughter that sounded made his heart pound and face heat up. Hands started shaking, eyes watered, and he felt weak. 

He felt weak because it was a joke, but it hurt so much. He heard a chair move back, but paid no mind to it, focusing on the tears streaming down. Well, until someone took the note off his desk. He looked up to see an angry Michael, and he wondered why he was mad. Ray should be mad, not him.

Michael looked over Ray's shoulder to the football players behind him. The look he gave them was pure venom, and even Ray was scared by it. 

"Don't mess with him ever again, got it, jocks?" 

Michael shot a look to Ray before he went back to his seat. The teacher, still shocked by the outburst, resumed class quickly. 

-

At lunch, Ray sat with Ryan, a theater nerd that somehow became his friend. They joked for a bit until the crash of a tray being set down interrupted the conversation. Of course it was Michael, who sat down with a large grin. 

"Sup, losers! What are you guys chatting 'bout?" 

"We were talking about science until you sat down." Ray said, skeptical of the other. "Why are sitting here? Don't you have a table, Jones?"

"Yeah, I have a table. Thought I'd sit with you guys today. Is that a problem?"

Ray assumed it would be, since he wasn't the best with social interactions, but in reality, he didn't really mind. He wasn't sure what it was about Michael but he could handle him being around. Maybe it was his smile or his confidence, or even the way he protected Ray.

"No, there's not a problem. Now, shut up and eat." 

That didn't quite happen. Michael did eat but talked up a storm. Ray couldn't help the smile that appeared on his lips, or the laughs that'd fall from his lips. 

When Ray got home that day, he was confused. He never really has ever developed a crush before but h was sure this is what it was. The want to catch another's eyes, to make them smile and laugh from something you said. He knew thought he'd be able to feel this way before. He both shocked and scared him. 

\-- three weeks later --

Walking into second period, Ray saw a sight that he left a foul taste in his mouth. Michael was smiling with some red head, who beamed at him. They were so close to each other that they could probably feel each other's breath against their face. 

Then she placed an eager kiss to Michael's lips and that made Ray clench his fists. 

He turned around and walked out, practically jogging to the nearest bathroom. He'd rather not go to class right now, not when he was so close to crying.

He locked himself into a stall, breathing hard, tears spilling down his face. He should have known better, he shouldn't have let his heart love because love wasn't good. At least, it never was for him. Love always fucked him over in life, and he hated that. 

Michael wasn't different like Ray thought. He wasn't the person he should have crushed on because now he has someone to call his, and Ray is alone like always.

Ray was meant to be alone.

\--

He didn't go back to class, no, instead he walked home. He fell on his bed with a soft thud, and sighed.

What has his life come to? Here he was, the loner for life, cursing his broken heart. A heart he didn't know if he actually wanted if it hurt this bad.

His phone rang but he ignored it. A knock sounded hours later, or was it just one hour? He wasn't sure.  
The door opened and Ryan stood there with a confused and concerned look. 

"Why weren't you at school? You didn't answer my calls or texts, no one knew where you were! I was going insane!"

Ray didn't respond, only buried his head into the pillow on his bed.  
He didn't want to tell Ryan anything, but it seems that the other had different plans.

Ryan sat on the bed, huffing a sigh of annoyance. 

"What's wrong? Seriously, tell me, I wanna help."

It was silent for a moment before Ray peeked at Ryan. 

"I l..like Michael. But he's with some redhead so that's a fucking thing! Guess I'm just gonna fucking die alone like a loser!"

"..Tell him."

Ray looked at Ryan like he had lost his damn mind. Tell him? What kind of fucking advice was that? 

"Tell him? You want me to tell Michael Jones that I like him when he's in a relationship?"

"Yeah, so he knows. Don't know, what if he likes you back."

"He's dating someone, Ryan! He's fucking taken!"

Ryan tilted his head and rose an eyebrow.

"How do you know he's dating her? You don't, do you? You saw him with a redhead and ran off. He could just be friends with her!"

That made Ray scold the other.

"He kissed her!"

"Whatever. Just.. think about telling him, okay?"

"Fine, just go."

\--

It was the next day, and Ray was walking beside Ryan with a frown on his face. 

"I can't believe you're making me do this. We're supposed to be best friends and this is how you treat me?"

"Don't be so dramatic, you're acting as if I'm forcing you at gunpoint. You have to get over your little fear to tell him, and just do it."

Ray turned to him with a look of betrayal.

"Are you fucking quoting Shia Labeouf to me? Are you trying to reason with me by using memes?"

Ryan just shrugged as they walked into classroom. Ray looked and saw Michael by himself at his desk. He felt a hand push him and he stumbled forward before he recovered, walking to Michael's desk with a huff.

"Hey, Michael?" 

Michael looked up at Ray, cracking a smile.

"Hey, Ray! Missed you yesterday. Were you sick or somethin'?"

He shook his head and decided to ask Michael right then and there.

"Who's the redhead?"

Michael looked confused for a second before he realized who Ray was referring to.

"Oh, Lindsay? She's my girlfriend, why?"

Ray looked away, muttering "No reason" under his breath. He rushed to his seat.

\--

It had been days since Ray asked Michael about his girlfriend, and Lindsay was beginning to get sick of the sad puppy face Michael put on every time he saw Ray. 

She sighed, and poked his face to get his attention.

"Michael, do you want to date Ray?"

He looked the tiniest bit sheepish, and nodded.

"Then go ask him out, dumbass!"

"What about us?"

She shrugged, a small smile on her face.

"I want you to be happy. If that means that you're saying Ray instead of me, so be it. Now, get up and ask him out."

\--

"Ray?"

Ray looked up, shocked to see Michael.

"Yeah, what's up?"

Michael put one hand in his pocket, using the other to gesture.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me..?"

Ray's mouth fell open and he did a double take. Was he being serious? He couldn't be.. Oh, fuck, he is. 

"Uh... yeah. Yeah, I do wanna go out with you."

The words surprised him. Had he said that? Was Ray actually going to let himself love? 

No.. He wasn't quite there yet. He had to start small, and dating Michael seemed to be a good step into the right direction. He hoped one day he could love someone. 

Maybe one day.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos and comments are appreciated!


End file.
